Gone are the days of large hearty meals. Today, plates are shrinking. Petite portions of practically any dish that you can think of, termed as ‘small plates’, have made their way into restaurant menus, encompassing everything from hors d’oeuvres and appetisers to entrées. From kimchi baby potatoes and Japanese okonomiyaki to chicken liver parfait and akhrot malai broccoli, small plate offerings come in varied cuisines. And chefs across the country are unleashing their creativity and curating menus with a leaning towards innovative small plates.
Variety and bonhomie
Originating from the Israeli and Mediterranean mezze, Spanish tapas and Japanese zensai, small plates, traditionally meant to share, have seeped beyond culinary borders and are dominating India’s dining landscape. Chef Paul Kinny, director culinary, Bellona Hospitality, says, “It gives today’s conscious and trendy diners a perfect balance; more variety and satiety without the guilt of overeating.”
Across India, small plates are becoming a rage, as diners mix and match to create their perfect meal, and chefs are pushing boundaries. Soft shell tacos with red chilli braised lamb to tangra chilli chicken, Bodega Cantina-Y-Bar, Kolkata, ensures its small plates cater to a wide array of taste buds. In Chennai too, at Sera – The Tapas Bar & Restaurant, fried bocconcini with basil aioli and steak tartare are served to wow the palates of diners. Small plates are also favoured by chefs as they get to try new ideas and let one or two ingredients shine.
Kheema Bao - Monkey Bar - Photo Courtesy Kunal Chand
At 212 All Good café and bar, Mumbai, a sweet potato crostini topped with feta and candied walnuts is served, where the sweetness of the potato is perfectly balanced with the salty feta. At Shizusan, Pune and Mumbai, Chef Kinny has created cold small plates, where he serves tuna carpaccio, Vietnamese watermelon salad, Hamachi sashimi, whereas, Balinese Ikan Bakar, with grilled fish wrapped in banana leaf with sambal belachan, is a hot small plate offering.
Chef partner Manu Chandra of The Fatty Bao and Monkey Bar, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, says, “Small plates give the chef a chance to showcase a range of culinary offerings. At the Olive Beach, Bengaluru, a plate of grilled eggplant with feta, olive oil, pomegranate and mint can be quite exciting with za’atar-rubbed chicken skewers and warm pita. It is the complex play of many flavours through different plates that makes the whole experience worthwhile.”
Small plates at Sheraton Brigade Gateway Bengaluru
While Chef Saurabh Udinia, chef de cuisine-Modern Indian, Massive Restaurants, enjoys creating small plates at Kode, Mumbai, he observes, “I prefer having a balanced menu with small plates and regular portions, as that works well.” He adds, “The primary focus in a small plate should be on taste, by pairing ingredients and flavours in an innovative, yet correct manner.”
Chef Alexis Gielbaum, chef de cuisine and co-founder, Slink & Bardot, a French restaurant in Mumbai, however cautions, “Small plates mean more plates per customer. We need to ensure that there is no repetition in term of sauces, flavours and general balance of the dishes.”
Poetry on a plate
A small plate is a chef’s canvas with limited space, but an opportunity to give expression to his creativity.
“These are all about treating your senses — from a different set of synchronised flavours and aromas to exciting and creative visual performance on the plate,” quips Chef Suresh Thampy, executive chef, Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway.
Wasabi Prawns 4 - The Fatty Bao - Photo Courtesy Kunal Chandra
Chef Gielbaum, concurs, “Small plates allow you to be more minimalist. Any classic dish can be cleverly adapted into a small plate, giving you an opportunity to bring more work and ideas on the sauces and garnishes.”
Win-win for both
For diners, small plates are a better choice as they get value for money, given the varied options they can try. Chef Kinny explains, “Small plates are not only light on your stomach, but also on your wallet. Unless premium ingredients such as avocado or truffle are being used, the pricing is always lower, as compared to a main course. Small plates are a lot more exciting, as diners get a chance to try many global dishes with diverse flavours and textures.”
Chicken Liver Parfait - Slink & Bardot
Chef Chandra believes that small plates are a hit as they offer the perfect opportunity to indulge, yet eat healthy and, “less food is wasted because smaller pieces of meat, poultry and seafood are used. Savouring more small plates means that the diners will order more drinks too. Therefore, this trend of small plates, is a delicious proposition for both diners and restaurants.”
- Smoked Cochin mackerel on toast at Toast & Tonic, Mumbai
- Aam admi eggs at Monkey Bar, Kolkata
- Baby cashew idlis with kaffir lime gunpowder at Farzi Café, Pune
- Tuna tartare on rice crackers at Shizusan, Bengaluru
- Paprika puffs with wasabi salsa at Smoke House Deli, New Delhi
